Arizona: Round 1 - State-Level Field Network Study of the Implementation of the Affordable Care Act

This report is part of a series of 21 state and regional studies examining the rollout of the ACA. The national network -- with 36 states and 61 researchers -- is led by the Rockefeller Institute of Government, the public policy research arm of the State University of New York, the Brookings Institution, and the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.A number of decisions helped set the stage for Arizona's implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). These decisions and the dynamics that led to them reflect a complex mix of intergovernmental political calculation and pragmatic public policy, past and present, which frame the state's capacity for implementing ACA in Arizona

Lipopolysaccharide-specific acyloxyacyl hydrolase

" An acyloxyacyl hydrolase from the human promyelocyte cell line HL-60 has been found to specifically hydrolyze fatty acids from their ester linkages to hydroxy groups of 3-hydroxyfatty acids, the latter being being bound in turn to lipopolysaccharide glycosaminyl residues. The hydrolyzed fatty acids may include dodecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid and hexadecanoic acid. This enzyme showed a molecular weight by gel exclusion chromatography between about 50,000 Daltons and about 70,000 Daltons, and a molecular weight by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with sodium dodecylsulphate, using reduced molecular weight standards, of approximately 54,000 to 60,000 Daltons. Altered bacterial lipopolysaccharide substantially without fatty acids bound in ester linkage to hydroxy groups of 3-hydroxyfatty acids covalently linked to a glucosaminyl moiety of lipopolysaccharide lipid A are produced. Since the structure of the lipid A moiety is highly conserved, acyloxyacyl hydrolase may act on lipopolysaccharide of many different pathogenic bacteria (for example Salmonella, Escherichia, Hemophilus, and Neisseria). Such altered bacterial lipopolysaccharide, having toxicity reduced more than immunostimulatory activity, may be therapeutically useful: (1) as vaccines to prevent Gram-negative bacterial diseases by inducing antibodies to lipopolysaccharide O-polysaccharide or R-core antigens, (2) as antidotes to treat or prevent Gram-negative bacterial sepsis (""septic shock""), or (3) as adjuvants to enhance formation of antibodies to other antigens. the acyloxyacyl hydrolase itself may be prophylactically or therapeutically useful to detoxify endogenous lipopolysaccharide in patients with Gram-negative bacterial diseases. The enzyme may also be used to remove toxic lipopolysaccharide from therapeutic injectants. "Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

Mitigating the impacts of pet cats (Felis catus) on urban wildlife

Pet cats are a very important part of life for many people and provide companionship to millions of people worldwide, from small children to the elderly. However, wandering pet cats may affect wildlife populations through direct predation, competing for prey with higher order consumers, spreading disease to wildlife and humans, exerting sub-lethal effects such as changes in parental behaviour or reduction in clutch size of prey caused by the fear of cat predation, hybridising with wild felids or breeding with stray and feral cats to maintain feral populations. In addition, they may annoy neighbours by disturbing dogs, attacking pet birds, spraying, digging in gardens, fighting (including with other pet cats) and walking on cars. Pet cats that are allowed to wander are also at risk from disease, fights with other animals that may lead to injury infection, and from traffic accidents (one of the leading causes of pet cat mortality). Despite these risks to wildlife and their pets, many cat owners in Australia and other countries such as the UK and New Zealand are reluctant to restrict their cats to their properties at all times. The primary aims of this thesis were to investigate several different precautionary approaches to reducing the risks proposed by predatory interactions between cats and urban wildlife and determine what precautionary measures the wider community considers acceptable. In association with colleagues from Australia and overseas, I assessed the social attitudes in Australia, the USA, the UK, New Zealand, Japan and China towards pet cats and cat ownership and responsibilities with a detailed survey. We found significantly different results between all countries, indicating that if any legislation was to be imposed regarding pet cats unique approaches would be required in each country. We confirmed that many cat owners will not keep their cats inside, and therefore other methods to prevent wildlife capture and reduce pet cat roaming behaviour are appropriate. I then examined the effectiveness of the anti-predation collar cover the BirdsbeSafe® (BBS) in reducing predation by pet cats on birds. A range of different colours and patterns are available for this device and I found that some patterns (red and rainbow) were effective at reducing predation on prey with good colour vision (birds and herpetofauna) by 47 – 54%. However, yellow collar covers were not effective at reducing cat predation on birds. The BBS had no effect on the numbers of mammal prey captured. This device is useful for cats that catch many bird or herpetofauna prey and either do not catch, or their owners would like them to catch, mammals such as rats and mice. It is not suitable in areas where there are sensitive small mammal populations. Ninety-six per cent of cats adapted to the BBS within two days, indicating that it will not upset or impede on the welfare of the vast majority of cats as long as collars are correctly fitted and checked regularly. Previous research on the anti-predation device the CatBib and my own research on the BBS indicated that these devices may alter the roaming behaviour of some pet cats, in most cases with cats reported as staying closer to home. This potentially provides another incentive for owners to fit their cats with these devices to reduce their wandering behaviour. I tested this hypothesis on 30 pet cats wearing either the CatBib or BBS with the use of GPS collars. In addition, I collected data from cats wearing GPS collars but no anti-predation device to determine factors that influence roaming behaviour. I found that neither the CatBib nor the BBS significantly changed the roaming behaviour of pet cats, supporting claims by the manufacturers of the CatBib and the BBS that the devices reduce hunting success while not restricting other behaviours. Thus they do not offer an option to owners wishing to restrict their cats' roaming. The most significant predictor of pet cat home range was housing density, with pet cats living in more rural locations travelling significantly further than pet cats in areas of high housing density. In order to reduce uncertainty over factors that affect cat predation I used a meta-analysis and mixed linear models to compare all of the studies that used radio-telemetry or GPS to examine cat roaming behaviour. I found that despite most individual studies showing that male cats have larger home ranges than females but no statistically significant difference between the two, comparing all the data concluded that male cats do have significantly larger home ranges than females. I also found that mature cats (over 8 years old) have smaller home ranges than younger adult cats (2 – 8 years old), desexing has no influence on roaming behaviour, husbandry practices (providing vet treatment and socialising cats with humans) did not impact roaming behaviour, and cats living in areas with low housing density (e.g. farm cats or pets on rural properties) had larger home ranges than cats in higher housing density areas. Ultimately, the best solution to prevent pet cats from impacting wildlife and for their own protection is to keep them confined to their owners’ properties at all times. Since this is an unpopular option, education campaigns are required to change the community practices and attitudes towards pet cats so that owners either become more accepting of confinement or more willing to use predation deterrents. Since there are significant differences between different countries in how people perceive cats and the impacts of their wandering behaviour, different approaches are required in different locations. In Australia, and possibly New Zealand, people may change their behaviour based on the effects cats have on some wildlife. However, in countries such as the UK, campaigns should focus on the benefits to cat welfare

The Evil Side of Heroic Life : Monsters and Heroes in \u3ci\u3eBeowulf\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eThe Hobbit\u3c/i\u3e

Tolkien scholars have long studied the many connections between Beowulf and J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. This essay explores the novel’s representation of heroism and monstrousness and the ideal of kingship in relation to the Old English poem. Parallel descriptions between heroes and monsters illustrate that neither Beowulf nor Thorin is immune to monstrousness, but analyzing their actions in light of Hrothgar’s advice to Beowulf illustrates that both characters distinguish themselves as great kings and heroes. Moreover, how these characters resist evil varies greatly and reveals a core distinction between the Beowulfian and Tolkienian hero, and even highlights the importance of hope in Tolkien’s works and his emphasis on what he termed eucatastrophe, rather than the elegiac tone of Beowulf

Beyond knowledge brokerage: An exploratory study of innovation intermediaries in an evolving smallholder agricultural system in Kenya

The recognition that innovation occurs in networks of heterogeneous actors and requires broad systemic support beyond knowledge brokering has resulted in a changing landscape of the intermediary domain in an increasingly market-driven agricultural sector in developing countries. This paper presents findings of an explorative case study that looked at 22 organisations identified as fulfilling an intermediary role in the Kenyan agricultural sector. The results show that these organisations fulfill functions that are not limited to distribution of knowledge and putting it into use. The functions also include fostering integration and interaction among the diverse actors engaged in innovation networks and working on technological, organisational and institutional innovation. Further, the study identified various organisational arrangements of innovation intermediaries with some organisations fulfilling a specialised innovation brokering role, even as other intermediaries take on brokering as a side activity, while still substantively contributing to the innovation process. Based on these findings we identify a typology of 4 innovation intermediation arrangements, including technology brokers, systemic brokers, enterprise development support and input access support. The results indicate that innovation brokering is a pervasive task in supporting innovation and will require policy support to embed it in innovation support arrangements. The paper is not normative about these arrangements.Smallholder agriculture, innovation intermediaries, agriculture innovation, knowledge brokers, Kenya

Pregnancy Preparation Among Women and Their Partners in the UK: How Common Is It and What Do People Do?

Pregnancy preparation, to optimize health before pregnancy, has been shown to reduce adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. This study investigated the changes that women, and their partners, made in preparation for pregnancy. Analyses showed that less than half of women (n = 134, 49%) and only 24% of partners (n = 22) reported making any changes in preparation for pregnancy. Desire to Avoid Pregnancy (DAP) score was the only significant factor associated with pregnancy preparation; every 1-point increase in DAP reduced the odds of a woman reporting preparing for pregnancy by 78% (OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.15 to 0.34). This study highlights the need for interventions addressing pregnancy preparation